Recently, our social enterprise and cookery group, Discovery Catering, visited bemix friends - Abbey Physic Community Garden, in Faversham.

Discovery Catering is a group of people with and without learning disabilities and/or autism who meet together each week to try new vegan and vegetarian recipes from different countries each month. We learn about healthy eating and share what we learn once a month by running a pop up café.

The Abbey Physic Community Garden is a charity with an approach, a vision and values similar in many ways to us at bemix:

“Helping our members and the wider public maintain or improve their physical and mental health and wellbeing, build diverse skills and confidence, reduce social isolation and connect with their community. Through our commitment to equality and diversity and provision of inclusive services and support we aim to break down the stigma of mental ill health and build understanding and empathy.” - Abbey Physic Community Garden

A good society needs the contribution of everyone. Through involvement in community projects, such as the work carried out by Abbey Physic Community Garden and bemix projects, people can be seen, be heard and belong. We want to live in a world where people with learning difficulties and autism would be fully and equally involved in all areas of society (take a look at bemix Vision and our Values)

Our day at Abbey Physic Community Garden

For some of us, our visit to the Community Garden meant that our adventure began with a long journey which was fun! 

Leon Sam and Will on the train to Faversham

Some of us arrived early and explored the garden. We found all kinds of different vegetables and fruits - some we had never seen before - like the huge tromboncini!

Hannah and Sarah discover new vegetables!

We picked a few vegetables like peppers, tomatoes and herbs, and tasted and smelt the different plants as we went around.

As well as plants we discovered the pond, the beehive and the chickens who were very friendly.

We met some of the people who work in the garden and learnt more about what makes a community garden special. For example there is a memory tree that was started during lockdown where people can have a wooden leaf made especially to remember a loved one who has passed away.

Once we had gathered some vegetables we went into the Community Kitchen and made some soup and bread.

The rest of the group arrived just on time to have a delicious soup.

Henry and Hannah preparing ingredients in the kitchen

After lunch we explored Faversham a bit and went to a café for tea and cake - a chance to get new ideas for our Pop-Up Café which usually runs monthly at The Westgate Hall in Canterbury.

Then it was home on the train with lots of new ideas for our Discovery Catering group to think about!

Thank you to everyone at Abbey Physic Community Garden for a fun and informative day to remember!

Henry and Hannah exploring the garden

If you would like to visit the Abbey Physic Community Garden you can look them up on Facebook or visit their website. It is open to the public on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Anyone can become a member and there are lots of things to get involved with. You may even see a few familiar faces from bemix!

At bemix, we value co-working over competition. ‘Collaboration’ is one of our Wider Values and it is an important part of the work we do. We are proud to work and share resources with other organisations, across Kent and beyond, whose values are like ours. Organisations like, Abbey Physic Community Garden and The Westgate Hall.

Would you like to join our Discovery Catering cookery group? For more information, click here.